Monmouth County child porn: 'Operation Trading Post' nets 15 arrests

NJ State Police Lt. John Pizzuro, commander of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, shares tips to help parents steer their children away from cyber predators. STAFF VIDEO BY THOMAS P. COSTELLO
THOMAS P. COSTELLO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Authorities arrested 14 men and one minor in "Operation Trading Post."(Photo11: Courtesy Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office)

FREEHOLD - Investigators have rounded up 15 suspects, including a former Atlantic Highlands official, Princeton University employee and a bank executive, in the culmination of a five-month investigation into child pornography.

"Operation Trading Post" was a joint operation led by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office's Computer Crimes Unit and the Monmouth County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, according to a prepared statement from the prosecutor's office. It ran from June through October, though two of the arrests took place in November.

Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni praised the local police agencies that helped with the operation, and said in a prepared statement that the suspects "shamelessly viewed and shared depraved images of children being sexually abused."

Alex N. Gecan: @GeeksterTweets; 732-643-4043; agecan@gannettnj.com

Support our Signature Journalism

Become an Asbury Park Press subscriber today and get unlimited digital access and support stories like this one.